Meet Daniel Diemer and Shaheen Jafargholi, the stars bringing Ryan and Fabian to life in Heated Rivalry s2
Everything you need to know about the actors and their Game Changers characters ahead of season 2.
‘Atomic levels of hot’ is a statement we have used in the past to refer to the cast of Heated Rivalry, and yet the aforementioned atomic-ness of it all has only increased with the casting of Daniel Diemer and Shaheen Jafargholi.
Premiering in April 2027, the second entry in the acclaimed MLM hockey drama is set to adapt Rachel Reid's sixth book in her hit Game Changers series, The Long Game.
Picking up after the events of Heated Rivalry, the story follows Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) as they finally commit to their relationship after nearly a decade of denying their romantic feelings for one another. The novel also delves deeper into the pressures of elite hockey, the burden of being a closeted athlete and the toll that secrecy takes on their mental health.
Over the last few weeks, the folks at Crave have graciously treated fans to a series of exciting season two updates, including behind-the-scenes photos and, most importantly, casting announcements.
On 25 August, the Canadian streamer revealed that Diemer and Jafargholi were joining the second season as Ryan Price and Fabian Salah, respectively. For those unfamiliar with Rachel Reid's Game Changers universe, the two characters are the leads in Tough Guy, the third novel in the series.
Reid herself even welcomed Diemer and Jafargholi to the Heated Rivalry family, affectionately describing them as her "big sad son" and "rockstar son" in the comments section of the casting announcement.
While we wait for more season two news to come – such as additional casting announcements, first-look photos, trailers and an official release date – we've put together a get-to-know-you guide to Daniel Diemer and Shaheen Jafargholi, the two newest stars of the Heated Rivalry universe.
Where are Daniel Diemer and Shaheen Jafargholi from?
Like his Heated Rivalry character Ryan Price, Daniel Diemer is a proud Canadian – hailing from Brentwood Bay, British Columbia. As for Shaheen Jafargholi, he is originally from Swansea, Wales. His mother was born in Wales, while his father is from Iran.
